Flush-tank-operating device.



B. O. TILDBN. I

. FLUSH TANK OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16,1910.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

A TTORNEY.

CDLUMBU PLANOGRAPH C0,: WASHINGTON. n. c.

unrrnn srn'rns Pn'rnu'r oirnion.

BERT O. TILIDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOB T0 AMERICAN SANITARY WORKS, OF NEW YORK, N. 1 ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLUSI-LTANF-OPERATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 28, 1913.

Application filed April 16, 1910. Serial No. 555,923.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, BERT O. Truman, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flush- Tank-Opcrating Devices, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in flush tank operating devices, and has for its object to provide a simple, strong and inexpensive mechanism for use in connection with low down flush tanks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flush valve operating device of the class known as center levers, to be applied at or near the center of the tank facing the closet seat, in position to be readily and conveniently operated by the user of the closet.

A particular object is to provide novel and simple means for supporting and attaching the valve operating mechanism to the wall of the tank.

Other features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detail description which follows, and by reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the front wall of a flush tank, showing in full and dotted lines the construction and method of applying the operating lever and its mounting to the tank, and the movement and play of the lever. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the tank, showing the operating lever in plan; also showing the hanger or mounting applied to the wall of the tank. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the lever support or hanger on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the inner face of the lever support. Fig. 5*

is an outer face view of the support. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the wall of a tank, showing openings for the insertion of the lever and connecting studs. Fig. '2" is an enlarged sectional view, showing the construction of the push knob.

In the drawings, 2 represents a flush tank which may be made of wood, metal or china in any convenient form, the front wall of which is perforated at 3, 4 and 5 for receiving the flush valve operating lever and the securing studs or bolts of a mounting projects into the tank, its inner end connecting with a lift rod 11 which may be connected with the flush valve (not shown) located within the tank, a downwardly formed portion 12 arranged substantially at right angles to the outer end of the arm 10, and a shorter arm or handle 13, which extends through the opening and through a notch 14 formed in the lower edge of the mounting plate or escutcheon 9, and is positioned out side of the tank. The free end of the arm 13 is enlarged to form a push kncb or button 15, which is employed for manipulating the rocking lever for opening the valve andflushing the closet.

In its preferred form the mounting or support for the lever is made in two parts, viz., a back plate 16, which may be made of any suitable metal, preferably wrought, and a facing 17, comprising a thinner layer or piece of wrought metal made substantially to the same form, but slightly larger in area than the plate 16, so that its edges may be bent and folded over the edges of the plate 16, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4:, by which means the face and back plates are held together as one part. The hanger plate 16 is perforated at 19, 19, and the material is bent inwardly at right angles to the plate to form parallel lugs 20, 20, both of which are perforated. The inner end of arm 10 of the lever is inserted between the lugs 20, and a pin 21 is driven through the lugs and lever, for pivotally mounting the lever in operative position in the slotted opening 5 of the tank, as shown in Figs. 1 and The plate 16 of the mounting is provided with inwardly projecting securing studs '7 and 7, and these are preferably arranged at equal distances from the adjacent lugs 20. The said studs may be secured to the plate 16 in any suitable manner, or as shown in Fig. 8, by inserting their inner ends through the plate and then upsetting or riveting the same, as at 26, to secure them rigidly in place. The outer ends of the studs 7 and 7 are bored out and threaded to receive screws 22, and then washers or plates 23 are applied inside the tank between the heads of nut 15 which receives and holds in place a the screws and the ends of the studs for preventing the screws from entering the perforations 1 and 5 of the tank. After the parts have been applied to the wall of the tank in the manner shown and described, the tightening up of the screws 22 against the washers which are larger than the holes 4 and 5 will draw the mounting or escutchcon 9 tightly against the front or outer face of the tank, and securely hold the fitting in place. The provision of the studs 7 and 7 which are located at some distance from the fulcrum of the lever, serves to balance and hold the mounting in true position and prevents tne lateral tilting or canting of the operating lever.

The present device is intended particularly for use in connection with china flush tanks, but may be also employed with thesame effect and advantage in connection with wooden or metallic tanks. In preparing china tanks for the application of my improvement, it is necessary, at the time the clay is molded into the form of a. tank, to make each of the perforations 3, 4: and 5 to somewhat larger caliber than actually required for the insertion and operation of the several parts of the device, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that when the tanks are baked, after allowing for the usual contraction, the perforations will still be large enough to receive, as well as to permit adjustment of the said parts. After the lever and its mounting are set in posit-ion on a tank, the remaining spaces in the perforations r and may be filled with a suitable material, such as litharge or other cement 25, in order to prevent the loosening and shifting of the mounting during the operation of the lever.

The push knob, as shown in Fig. 7, consists of the enlarged portion 15, which is an integral part of the arm 13. This part is; threaded at 13 to receive a ferrule or glandporcelain or other tip or button 27, the latter being provided principally for giving ornamental effect to the handle of the lever. The push knob may, however, be made plain and serve its purpose equally well.

The plate 16 should be wrought metal either cast or rolled, but it is preferably stamped out of any suitable sheet metal and taching studs formed up by means of suitable dies all Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents ready for use without any additional work. The facing 17 may also be blanked out by dies and ornamented in any desirable manner. Fig. 5 shows the face plate 17 as when stamped out and arranged with an ornamental embossed portion 24, in which may be impressed the name of the manufacturers or sellers or other advertisement or inscription.

The operation of my device is extremely simple. i

The full lines in Fig. 1, show the operatin g lever in idle position, as when the flush valve is closed. hen it is desired to open the valve for flushing the closet, the user of the closet by exerting pressure against the outer face of the push knob forces the handle 13 of the lever downwardly which movement raises the arm 10, (see dotted lines Fig. 1) and thereby forces the valve. Soon as the pressure on the knob is relaxed, the lever, and rod 11 will gravitate to position shown in. full lines in said figure.

It is obvious that nuts may be applied to the inner ends of the studs 7 and 7' instead.

of the screws 22 and perform the same function, and that other changes or modifications may be made in the device, within the scope defined by the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A mounting for a flush-tank operating lever, consisting of an inner plate having struck-up ears to which a lever is fulcrumed and provided with inwardly extending atloeated at opposite sides of said ears and fulcrum to balance the mounting and counteract the tendency of the lever.

to tilt laterally, the outer ends of said studs passing through said plate and being upset against its outer face, and an outer plate covering the heads of said studs and the openings in the inner plate and having its edges turned inwardly around the edge of the inner plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERT O. TILDEN.

lVitnesses R. E. CRANE, M. E. CATLIN.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

